Protecting a Lovely Life
by Heather Giesbrecht
Summary: Dobby was even more determined now not to let Master Lucius scare Thomas away. Massively alternate universes all around. Onesided Dobby/Neo. Complete.


**Protecting a Lovely Life**

Dobby was helping his mother with cleaning the dining room table as they listened to Master Abraxas talking to young Master Lucius in the other room.

Master Abraxas, "Lucius, you must be on your very best behaviour today. An American Auror and his son are coming to visit for supper. Auror Anderson's son Thomas is very unfortunately a squib, you must not mention it unless Thomas brings it up."

Master Lucius, both angry and disgusted, "Why must I, Father ? You always say that squibs are to be ignored because not only are they stupid, but they don't have magic."

"Shut your mouth, I know what I have said. Today you will ignore it because Auror Anderson saved my life and it is only proper to thank him appropriately."

This news caused him to look over at mother who looked very surprised, her green-eyes nearly popping out of her head, and murmured, "Masters has never let Amiericans inside before. Dobby watch, make Thomas safe from brat Master Lucius."

After mother said, "Brat.", she turned and started banging her long white-haired head on the heavily carved, mahogany chair's white padded back.

Of course, he would do as she asked, his loyalty to his mother was even stronger than to the Malfoy's. Especially, as when he was younger Master Abraxas had set his father on fire with incendio for accidentally wrecking a painting of Armand Malfoy and leaving him to die. The wards around Malfoy Manor were so strong that the Ministry wouldn't ever know Master Lucius had done underage magic, even if they did all Master Abraxas had do was give them either terror or money and it would be gone.

Hours later Dobby watched hidden in the fireplace as the tall, tan-skinned and black-haired man, Auror Anderson, along with a smaller, pale-skinned and also black-haired boy of about ten years walked in. Their hair may have been much darker than the Malfoy's blond, but they felt far happier than his Masters and Mistress. Thomas was just as pale as the Masters in the dimly lit room.

It made him happy as Thomas exclaimed, clearly amazed, "Dad, dad, those were penguins ! Oh, ah, eerm, peac-peacocks I meant.", before blushing and laughing.

That was the first time he ever heard genuinely happy laughter echo in the halls of Malfoy Manor, it made him even more determined not to let Master Lucius scare Thomas away.

Thomas wondered as he looked at the gray stone floor that was covered by a fluffy carpet, "Do we take our shoes off ?"

Up on the wall one of the old Mistress's paintings snorted, "What are you boy, a filthy Merlin cursed **squib** ?"

Immediately, he saw the change in Thomas as the happiness faded and the black-jacketed boy looked down embarrassed and angry. The anger Dobby felt at the old b-witch was so intense it scared him, he'd never even felt that angry after Father was killed.

When they'd left through the door to the drawing room he walked up to stand under the painting. He shook his fist as his ears twitched in rage, "Y-you no talk about nice Thomas like that, agains or Dobby burns's you he swears !"

The dead Malfoy gave him a sneer and left her painting with a disgusted, "Back in **my** day, House Elves knew their place - under our feet."

After supper he had to stop Master Lucius from using the Rocket Charm, a violenter version of the Levitation Charm on Thomas by throwing an heirloom book inbetween them. Said book flew up into the air, the force causing the old book to explode in a burst of paper, then Master Lucius rounded on him, furious, "Why did you do that ? He's just a stupid squib ! Go stick your head in the oven, bad Dobby !"

Thus it was that half an hour later as he was finishing banging his head in the oven that Thomas found and surprised him. A finger tapped his shoulder and he banged his head, again, before pulling himself free of the door.

Big, dark-brown eyes stared at him in wonder, "Y-you helped me, nobody ever helps me with bullies."

"Master Lucius is stupid, little brat ! Dobby not to let him hurt Thomas. Bad Dobby, bad Dobby !", as he went to start banging his head again, Thomas grabbed his shoulders and stopped him.

"Stop hurting yourself when it's true, he is a brat. My name's Tom, Tom Anderson. Thank you for helping me, Dobby."

At those kind words, he burst into tears and hugged Th-Tom; a pale hand started rubbing his old pillowcase/robe-clad back. "Dobby, Dobby what's wrong ? I didn't mean...uh, I'm sorry ?"

"Dobby is never th-thanked before ! Tom would be better than...than them; Tom is g-good to poor Dobby."

Dobby would have given anything to keep protecting such a lovely life as Tom's and forced himself to watch as Tom and Auror Anderson walked up to the gate. Briefly, he smiled broadly as Tom turned and waved at him.

Five years later...Dobby was cleaning the outside door when a finger tapped him on the shoulder. Disbelief warred with excitement as he turned and found himself looking up at a much taller version of Tom. Tom crouched down to look at him the shoulder-length black-hair falling into the pale, pretty face and he found himself brushing it away without a thought, before he jerked his hand away.

House Elves were not supposed to have feelings for humans, Master Abraxas said it was wrong to even think of falling in love with one, but...it was a year too late for him. Still, he doubted that Tom would ever return his feelings because he knew that humans found his kind ugly.

"What is Tom doing here ?"

He didn't expect the thin, black-suited teen to burst into tears at his question. Now, it was the reverse of five years ago as Tom pulled his gangly-limbed self into a hug.

The sobbed reply, "M-my dad s-some bastard k-killed him, Dobby.", as he rubbed Tom's back. A few sniffles before, "I-I thought Mr. Malfoy would want to know, seeing how dad saved him and all."

Slowly, he let go of Tom and said, "Dobby gets drink for Tom first. Hot chocolate ?"

Long lashes fluttered as pale fingers wiped the tears away and the teen nodded.

Minutes later, he reappeared in front of Tom with a cup of hot chocolate and a silk handkerchief he'd stolen from Master Lucius's old room. Master Lucius had so many of them, he doubted the arrogant blond man would notice one was gone, since the man moved rooms about three times a week.

Tom gave him a weak smile before taking the handkerchief, dabbing his eyes and then murmured, "T-thank you, again, Dobby. You're the best friend I've had so far."

Exchanged the kerchief with the hot chocolate as he countered, "So's is Tom for Dobby, Tom is Dobby's only friend."

After Tom had finished the hot chocolate he opened the door and followed his friend inside. The old Mistress sneered, "Oh look, everyone it's the filthy squib again !"

Tom snapped at her, "Shut the fuck up, lady, you don't know crap about me !"

Again, after Tom entered the drawing room, he threatened to burn the painting. It surprised him when Master Abraxas let him go to Auror Anderson's funeral as well, though, of course, he had to stay hidden. This time he didn't mind as it let him be there for Tom even if the other didn't know it.

Many years passed...Master Abraxas died, Master Lucius inheirited the manor and had a family - Master Draco was just as much of a brat as Master Lucius had been, he met and helped Harry Potter many times.

He had teleported Harry Potter and his friends from Malfoy Manor, but as he felt the knife enter his back he found himself focusing on Tom. They crashed to the floor of a green-walled building with a thud.

What sounded like a slightly deeper version of Tom's voice, "What the Hell ?"

Even though it'd been so long, he still recognized Tom's face. Those beautiful dark-brown eyes widened in shock as the now short-haired and cassock-clad man rushed up with a shout of, "**Dobby !**", to catch him as he fell.

Since this would likely be his only chance, he whispered, "Dobby...loves Tom."

"It's Neo, now and you're not dying, Dobby, not today !"

That was the day Tom/Neo who had been his first friend/unrequited love saved his life and introduced him to Smith...Neo's boyfriend. Still, as he and Kreacher led the House Elves and with Neo and Smith's help the final battle against Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters was easy. Dobby'd had a nice life, the wizarding world was free, and, now, it was an even nicer day to die.

At Dobby's funeral both Neo and Harry burned old lady Malfoy's painting to the ground...just like Dobby always wanted.

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><p><em><span>Author's Note:<span>_ So, anyone up for a review ?


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